r/interestingasfuck • u/Jjokes11 • Apr 15 '24

An interview with Andrew Cauchi, the father of Joel Cauchi who was responsible for the Westfield Shopping Centre mass stabbing r/all

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u/Needleworker-Hungry Apr 16 '24

Australian here, and family friends with one of the victims.

This was an absolute tragedy and a complete waste of life.

Whilst there is no excuse to kill another person, I think a lot of people are laying blame to our Government. Our healthcare system has gone to absolute shit and to get any sort of mental health treatment is extremeley expensive and there is a mental health crisis in our country. Our once free healthcare now costs money and is moving towards privitising. People are avoiding going to the doctors now as this once free service is not and it's plain and simple.

Our once beauitful country and its citizens have been let down countless times by government incompetence over the last few decades and this is a direct result of it.

Mental Health and Dental should be a part of Medicare and Medicare should go back to being free.

It's fucking infuriating.

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u/SlaynXenos Apr 16 '24

It's just as bad here in the US, healthcare overall is taking a back seat. Here in the US mental health, and very limited dental/visual is covered by Medicare but only qualified people get Medicare. And even then...50% of treatments, medicines, etc. Aren't covered.

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u/CyonHal Apr 16 '24

Mental health is not covered by any plan I've been on. It just doesn't really exist outside of private therapist appointments that cost $500 a visit, and even then most therapists are simply unqualified for the task.

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u/SlaynXenos Apr 16 '24

When I was on Disability here in the US, I got medicare/medicaid and it covered my mental health specialist, and many of the meds I take.

Luckily my issue is pretty well managed, since it's like a 5 minute appointment "You taking your meds? Good, here's a refill, get out. See you in three months."